One of the most well-known “coming of age” milestones happens when we learn to drive for the first time. It is such an exciting and scary moment in life, and is chalk full of new information and motor skills to learn. Before we even start the car, we are educated on safety precautions; seat belt on, seat at an appropriate height and reach, hands at 10 & 2, and to check your mirrors. As with driving, running a business requires us to constantly check the mirrors.

The goal of any business in any sector is to be able to automate as many processes as possible in order to minimize overhead expenses. Prior to automation, your business must be able to provide consistency across all processes. And, in order to provide consistency, you must first establish your business standards. It all starts with developing and documenting your Standard Operating Procedures, or SOPs.

As we enter a new year, we cannot help but to already start looking forward; visualize a twelve month path laid out in front of you, and you’re standing on day one. Too often, we forget to start where we are, and instead jump out ahead of our present reality. Being proactive by looking ahead and planning is a wonderful behavior to practice regularly, so long as your vision starts where you are presently.

The health and viability of any business can be determined by its numbers; cash flow, assets, and audience. The financial standing of any business provides a clear pulse - a depiction of success or failure (existing or imminent) - for that business.

The goal when creating a marketing strategy is not to attract everyone, just more; more people to interact with your brand, more consumers, more advocates, more markets, more demographics, etc. This is an important piece to highlight, as your strategy can easily do more harm than good when you try to focus on too much at once.

Every entrepreneur dreams of creating an iconic brand; a business with global recognition that evokes pride, community, and trust. There are a number of factors that go into building an iconic brand, such as presenting a clear set of core values, narrating a well-crafted relatable brand story, as well as exceeding the expectations already set forth.

I have worked with countless business owners throughout my career, and some of my fondest moments are those in which a client says, “Wait, I can do that?”. These moments can vary in catalysts, but all stem from the client receiving permission or encouragement to do something completely opposite of what they view as the way it’s always been.

To some people, honoring a strong human component in business is considered “old school”. Why have a human customer service agent, when you can have a bot? Why send personalized messages, when you could just mass-market? Why call to wish someone a happy birthday, when you could just write “HBD” on their Facebook wall?

Supporting the inevitable changes your business will experience is embodied by change management. This is achieved through the methods and workflows in which your business documents and implements change, both internally and externally. Simply put, change management is the management of changes.

Operations is not necessarily client-facing, but the results of the work executed are absolutely client-facing. Because of this veil, many business owners put off establishing their operational foundation.

A coach, an advisor, a manager, a mentor…guidance comes in many forms. Depending where you are in your life, you may be facing a challenge that has you asking, “Do I need help? Can a coach help me?”.

So what does it take to be a successful business owner? We aim to define this role by providing an industry-standard job description for the role of a Business Owner.

As a business owner, you have likely been exposed to some form of data analytics; website, social media, or search engine, to name a few. But have you taken the time to get to know what all of those numbers mean, and how they impact your business?

Entrepreneurs are the modern day explorers, navigating the needs and desires of our world. When you determine the purpose of your business, you set a course for your business journey.

The most recognizable brands out there refresh their brand image every 6-8 months. After all, as your business grows and evolves, your brand image should follow in suit.

Your business’ brand image is equally as important as your products/services. It should drive every business decision you make, from the scent that people will first smell when they walk in, to the causes you represent and support, to the types of products and services you offer.

With our SMART goals vetted and ready for action items, we now move into the process of developing the tasks that will help us to reach our goals.

With our SMART goals vetted and ready for action items, we now move into the process of developing the tasks that will help us to reach our goals.

Goals and tasks go hand-in-hand. You cannot successfully accomplish one without the other.

Goals and tasks go hand-in-hand. You cannot successfully accomplish one without the other. Yet, to have any chance of success, they must not be seen as interchangeable.